to cast a shadow
by rhead-a-holyc
Summary: [AT] Bellatrix manages to convince Andromeda away from Ted Tonks, and away from the Mudbloods.


**Quidditch League Season 6: Caerphilly Catapults**

 **Round 9: [Beater 2] Bellatrix Lestrange**

 **Prompts:**

 **(quote) To light a candle is to cast a shadow. - Ursula K. Le Guin**

 **(word) harm**

 **Summary: Bellatrix manages to convince Andromeda away from Ted Tonks, and away from the Mudbloods.**

* * *

 _i._

"He's lying to you, Andy. Mudbloods like him can't be trusted," Bellatrix whispered furiously.

Andromeda shook her head, hair flying vigorously. "He promised, Bella. He swore that it was real, and that he would never leave me."

"But he didn't _vow_. Words have no meaning to the likes of them. They would use whatever means to enthral you, use you, _harm_ you, then leave you. I'm warning you, Andy, _don't trust the_ _Mudblood_."

"I want to try, Bella. To me, this feels real. So please, please don't tell anyone. Mother and Father will disown me if they knew, and I don't know what to do." Andromeda's voice was shaky, and Bellatrix could see how difficult it was for her sister to choose.

Bellatrix sighed, and despite herself, her hand rose to Andromeda's shoulder and tugged her sister into a hug. "All right, Andy. For you. And because I don't think your little escapade with the Mudblood will last long anyway. As long as no one finds out, I won't tell."

"Thank you, Bella."

 _ii._

Bellatrix met Andomeda's eyes from across the Slytherin table, and knew that Andromeda had seen her beloved Mudblood sitting cosily with the Gryffindor Marlene McKinnon. Ted Tonks had the reputation of being an extremely friendly Hufflepuff. Bellatrix had known immediately how her dear sister had been enchanted by him – his bright and friendly persona was nothing like the cool and controlled interactions of the Purebloods. Andromeda had always been the more emotional of the three of them.

Andromeda looked away, choosing to stare at her plate instead.

"He's a _Hufflepuff_ , Bella. He's loyal and hard-working, or he wouldn't have been Sorted there. He won't betray me like you say. I trust him," Andromeda insisted vehemently when Bellatrix cornered her later.

"Have you ever considered that he might have been Sorted into Hufflepuff purely because he was hard-working? That he didn't have the traits for the other Houses? Why do you insist on believing him, Andy? Is it because of what he whispers in your ear when you're alone?" Bellatrix kept her voice low, so as to not attract attention but couldn't help the frustration that raced through her.

She simply couldn't understand how her intelligent sister could be so foolish. Had it been Narcissa, she would have understood, but Andromeda had never behaved as if she wanted to be swept off her feet by some wizard. Narcissa had been the only one to indulge in those fantasies.

"He only does it in secret because Mother and Father can't find out. Ted would do it openly if he could."

Bellatrix shook her head. "Your hope is going to end up getting you hurt. You're already promised to someone. Theodore has been your friend since childhood. I do not understand what else you could want."

"I want _Ted_ , Bella. Theo is a friend. A _good_ friend, yes, but I have only ever seen him as a friend. I love _Ted_."

 _iii._

It had gone on long enough. Bellatrix was tired of hearing Andromeda gush about the Mudblood Hufflepuff. It had been three months since Bellatrix had found out about them – one week would have been fine – and Bellatrix had been hoping Andromeda could have gently detached herself from Ted and whatever he held over her.

Andromeda was going to get hurt. The longer Bellatrix waited, the more hurt Andromeda would be when they finally broke up. Family came first, and Bellatrix was willing to hurt Andromeda now to prevent her from being worse off in the future.

She had followed the Mudblood around for a month and identified her possible targets. As Bellatrix had warned Andromeda, Ted Tonks was a little too friendly with Marlene McKinnon. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had more in common than the Mudblood and Andromeda did, so it wouldn't be suspicious if the two suddenly started openly dating – not to the general Hogwarts population, at least.

Amortentia with a strand of Marlene's hair was slipped into the Mudblood's goblet during dinner, and Bellatrix knew it would only be a matter of time before Andromeda was free from his clutches again.

 _iv._

The Amortentia had failed.

Bellatrix seethed, not knowing who to blame for the failure. She had made sure to give him a second dose, but the potion hadn't affected the Hufflepuff in the slightest. Andromeda still gushed about the boy.

It seemed the Hufflepuff truly did love her sister. They would be parted nevertheless. Bellatrix would make sure Andromeda never married the Mudblood; for her sister's own good.

The Disillusionment Charm Bellatrix had placed on herself had allowed her to reach the spot Andromeda met the Hufflepuff, and to her delight the Gryffindor girl was already there. The two were talking about the O. coming up, and Bellatrix wondered if she had accidentally ingested some Felix Felicis that day.

" _Imperio._ "

Bellatrix could hear Andromeda's light footsteps approaching the corridor, and hardened her resolve. This was for Andromeda's own good. She would understand eventually.

The Mudblood kissed the Gryffindor as Andromeda turned the corner. Bellatrix did her best to have him behave almost normally, but it was difficult. She wasn't able to hold the Unforgivable for long either.

The curse was released when Bellatrix heard Andromeda's sobs echo down the corridor. Guilt churned in her stomach for a second before she pushed it away – it was for Andromeda's future.

Not waiting to hear the argument between the Mudblood and half-blood, Bellatrix snuck out of the corridor and ran towards the Slytherin Common Room. She had made sure to tell Andromeda earlier that she would be in the dormitories after the day's lessons.

 _v_.

"You're right, Bella," Andromeda sobbed into Bellatrix's chest. "I should have listened to you. Mudbloods really are all the same. I caught him kissing Marlene in an abandoned corridor."

"Do you want me to make him hurt like you're hurting? I'll teach him a lesson for hurting you like that," Bellatrix promised.

Andromeda shook her head. "No. Please. I still love him... I just don't want to see him again. I don't think I could bear to see him hurt, even now."

"If you're sure, Andy. Seeing him hurt will probably make you feel better."

"No. Can I-can I just sleep here with you tonight? I don't want to be alone."

Bellatrix's chest tightened as she nodded, wiping Andromeda's cheeks and tucking her sister into her arms.

The last time they had shared a bed had been years ago, after Andromeda's first punishment for wandering Muggle London alone. Andromeda had barely been seven and had returned terrified of the Muggles. At the time, Bellatrix would have done anything to make sure Andromeda was never that scared and hurt again.

This was for Andromeda, Bellatrix reminded herself.

* * *

 **Hogwarts: Women's History – [Task 3] Write about someone changing another person's view or opinion**


End file.
